Podcast Summary: Becker Business

Episode: Building the Leadership Layer that Drives Execution and Enterprise Value with Chris Lacy of Priority Search Management
Date: February 3, 2026
Host: Scott Becker
Guest: Chris Lacy, Founder & CEO, Priority Search Management

Episode Overview

This episode features a deep dive into the critical—yet often overlooked—layer of "missing middle" leadership in organizations with Chris Lacy, founder and CEO of Priority Search Management. Chris and Scott discuss the hiring process for senior and mid-level roles, common pitfalls in recruitment and onboarding, and the importance of building a process-driven approach to talent and organizational leadership. Chris shares both practical advice from his career in executive search and some personal reflections on leading a business.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction & Background (00:45-02:34)

• Chris’s Journey: Chris Lacy founded Priority Search Management after years in executive search, recognizing a gap under the C-suite where critical roles were going unaddressed by traditional search firms.
  • “Over time…what I found was there were roles below the executives that those firms weren’t taking…But somebody had to fill those and I had a real passion for it.” (01:37, Chris Lacy)
• Focus Area: The firm specializes in the “missing middle”—senior contributors and department leaders below executive level—roles vital to execution yet often undervalued.

Example Roles (03:49-04:34)

• Operations leaders, controllers, healthcare compliance staff, behavioralists, recruiters for high-volume positions across industries.

What Companies Get Wrong in Hiring (04:35-06:22)

• Event vs. Process:
  • Chris compares recruiting to practicing golf: “Recruiting is not an event, it’s a process…There’s a lot that happens on that front end to build into that process to make sure you’re targeting the right individuals…” (05:00, Chris Lacy)
• Underinvestment in the Middle Layer:
  • Companies invest heavily in executive search but often skimp on process and structure when hiring for key mid-level roles.
  • “They under invest in that missing middle, where the people are actually carrying the execution.” (06:08, Chris Lacy)

Differentiators in Landing & Retaining Top Talent Beyond Pay (07:05-08:30)

• Clarity of Impact Sells:
  • Great organizations “sell” the impact of the role, not just duties—articulating what someone can build, own, or drive forward.
  • “I think clarity around impact that beats cash every time. They sell impact, not role and responsibilities.” (07:06, Chris Lacy)
• Transparency Upfront:
  • Successful companies communicate challenges openly to avoid surprises and boost retention.

The Changing Job Market & Search Dynamics (09:05-09:54)

• It Depends on Function:
  • Some functions (accounting, engineering) are more cautious; others (commercial, relational roles) are open to change.
  • The market varies—no universal “candidate” or “client” dominance at the moment.
  • “It really just depends on the roles.” (09:22, Chris Lacy)
• Regardless of Market:
  • “Refining the process helps regardless of what market we’re in.” (09:43, Chris Lacy)

Scaling, Onboarding, and Where Things Go Right/Wrong (09:55-12:21)

• Onboarding as a Critical Moment:
  • Most failures happen at the onboarding stage—not in the search itself.
  • Many organizations assume clarity during hiring will automatically transfer post-hire—it doesn’t.
  • “Onboarding is where strategy either takes root or it dies quietly.” (11:50, Chris Lacy)
• Rapid Growth Pitfall:
  • In scale-ups, changes often outpace communication, leading to confusion at the middle layer.
  • The best companies have a “refined or a thorough onboarding process... radical clarity around decision rights, success metrics, and a feedback cadence.” (11:20, Chris Lacy)

Building Teams When Speed Matters (12:22-14:23)

• Alignment Over Pace:
  • Rushing hiring fills seats but risks poor fit and long-term issues.
  • “Alignment over pace…if we slow down on the clarity of the role, it will allow companies...to have their greatest success.” (12:52, Chris Lacy)
• NFL Analogy:
  • High-pace, low-alignment seen in the NFL draft—many high-potential hires don’t work out due to poor process/system fit.

Reducing Fear After Bad Hires—The Imperfect Science (14:24-17:20)

• Embrace Process, Not Perfection:
  • Even with the best process, hiring “will never have a hit rate better than 3/75%.” (Scott, 15:35)
  • “We are in the business of working with people. Humans…change our minds. Life happens. There are so many variables...” (15:53, Chris Lacy)
  • Andy Reid to Patrick Mahomes: “Keep firing. Don’t get gun shy.” (16:00, Chris Lacy)
• Resilience Over Perfection:
  • Refine, adjust, occasionally take a mulligan—“keep firing.”

Non-Negotiable People Decisions for Leaders (18:00-19:10)

• Build an A Process, Not Just Chase A Players:
  • “Stop chasing A players and build an A process… Build a system that is focused on finding the right fit and the best fit, not the best available.” (18:02, Chris Lacy)
  • Develop scorecards, impact clarity, and an onboarding system to ensure long-term success.

Leading a Business: Managing Psychology (19:31-20:48)

• Biggest Founder Challenge:
  • Self-management and mental/psychological health.
  • “We second guess ourselves a lot… Managing my psychology is really, really important because I want to bring the healthiest version of myself to my team.” (19:31, Chris Lacy)
  • Chris looks to mentors who have “robust sanity” and experience, bouncing ideas off them.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the “Missing Middle”:
  “We really enjoyed working at that level… that layer below the executives…helping them place those missing middle or critical contributor roles that are driving the strategy and they’re executing.” —Chris Lacy (03:10)

• Recruiting as a Process:
  “Interviewing and recruiting is the middle part of the process. There’s a lot that happens on that front end to build into that process to make sure that you’re targeting the right individuals.” —Chris Lacy (05:13)

• On Impact-Before-Compensation:
  “Clarity around impact beats cash every time…organizations that land great talent…sell impact, not role and responsibilities.” —Chris Lacy (07:05)

• Andy Reid Analogy:
  “In their Super Bowl in 2019, Pat Mahomes threw two interceptions and Andy Reid...came up to him on the sideline and...told him: keep firing. Don’t get gun shy.” —Chris Lacy (15:53)

• A Process Over A Players:
  “Stop chasing A players and build an A process.” —Chris Lacy (18:02)

Important Timestamps

• Chris introduces himself and “missing middle” focus — 01:25–03:49
• What companies get wrong in hiring — 04:35–06:23
• Key to landing/keeping top talent (impact vs. cash) — 07:05–08:31
• State of the job market and search today — 09:05–09:55
• Onboarding & scaling pitfalls — 10:17–12:21
• Building teams: alignment over speed — 12:52–14:23
• Dealing with bad hires & keeping managers resilient — 14:24–17:20
• Non-negotiable for people decisions: Build a process — 18:02–19:10
• Managing founder psychology — 19:31–20:48

Conclusion

Scott Becker and Chris Lacy illuminate why the middle layer of organizations is the unsung engine of execution and value creation. Chris’s advice is pragmatic: move from treating hiring as a transaction to building a robust, thought-out process—emphasizing clarity of impact, thorough onboarding, and process resilience. Both leaders and founders will find timely, actionable insights on building teams, handling imperfect hiring outcomes, and leading with psychological resilience.